Florida, USA
Miakka Golf Club introduces Australian Sandbelt architecture to Florida through this 7,700-yard private course designed by Fry/Straka and Paul Azinger. Located on 1,100 acres along the Myakka River in Sarasota County, the layout features sand-capped fairways, transplanted live oaks, and environmentally sustainable grasses, creating firm, fast playing conditions. This elite private club offers member cottages and comprehensive practice facilities for the ultimate Florida golf holiday experience.
Miakka Golf Club introduces Australian Sandbelt architecture to Florida through this 7,700-yard private course designed by Fry/Straka and Paul Azinger. Located on 1,100 acres along the Myakka River in Sarasota County, the layout features sand-capped fairways, transplanted live oaks, and environmentally sustainable grasses, creating firm, fast playing conditions. This elite private club offers member cottages and comprehensive practice facilities for the ultimate Florida golf holiday experience.
Miakka Golf Club presents an unprecedented "Florida Sandbelt" design inspired by Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath, currently under construction along the Myakka River in Sarasota County. This 1,100-acre private club represents the collaboration of architects Dana Fry and Jason Straka with 1993 PGA Championship winner Paul Azinger.
Australia's legendary Sandbelt architecture is translated to Florida's landscape at this revolutionary private club. Sand-capped fairways throughout ensure firm and fast playing surfaces with wide fairways allowing strategic choices among transplanted live oaks.
Entrepreneur Steve Herrig founded Miakka Golf Club after acquiring land in eastern Sarasota County for equestrian activities around 2018. The project expanded when Herrig recognised the property's exceptional golf potential, particularly its two miles of Myakka River frontage. The club was approved by the Sarasota County Commission in 2019, with construction beginning in 2023.
The design team formed when Herrig approached Paul Azinger, a longtime Sarasota resident familiar with the area's natural beauty. Azinger partnered with Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design, whose portfolio includes Erin Hills (site of the 2017 U.S. Open) and Calusa Pines. The collaboration represents Azinger's first major architectural project since retiring from professional golf.
The 18-hole championship course stretches 7,700 yards across rolling terrain - something quite rare in Florida golf. Wide fairways and little rough to speak of, your imagination and creativity will be your guide. The routing utilises natural feeling elevation changes with material from a 40-acre irrigation lake redistributed across the property.
Miakka's distinctive character emerges from its four-inch sand-capped construction throughout, ensuring firm playing conditions year-round. Vertical sand emerges hard along the edges of the putting surfaces, directly inspired by Australia's most celebrated courses.
The design features specialised grasses previously uncommon in Florida: Lazer and Stadium zoysiagrass from tee to green. These varieties require significantly less water, fertiliser, and pesticides than traditional Florida grasses while promoting the ground game central to links-style golf. Owner Herrig established an adjacent 1,600-acre sod farm specifically to cultivate these grasses for the project.
The bunker construction employs LOKSAND technology for stability, with Pro/Angle sand shipped from Ohio to create the distinctive vertical faces characteristic of Australian Sandbelt courses. The ground dug up to form the lake was moved around the course to build elevation changes, creating undulations uncharacteristic of Florida's typically flat terrain.
Environmental sustainability guided every design decision. The course features comprehensive drainage and filtration systems directing all irrigation water into the on-site lake and filtration basins, ensuring no discharge reaches the Myakka River. Hundreds of mature live oaks were transplanted rather than removed, maintaining the property's natural character while creating playing corridors.
Complementing the main course, Miakka will feature a 12-hole par-3 course, 7-acre short game facility, lighted putting course, and 360-degree practice range. The clubhouse occupies a manufactured hilltop providing views across the entire property.
Within 45km (28 miles):
45-80km (28-50 miles):
Extended Regional Options:
The Sarasota-Bradenton corridor provides accommodation bases for exploring Florida's Gulf Coast golf, with Miakka positioned as the region's most architecturally distinctive offering.
Miakka operates as an elite private club with membership by invitation only. All must be referred and vetted before receiving an invitation to join.
Initial opening phases include the 18-hole course, practice facilities, interim clubhouse ("The Still"), and three member cottages. The complete facility, including a permanent clubhouse and additional cottages, is scheduled for completion by late 2025.
Member cottages provide on-property accommodation, eliminating daily travel requirements for extended golf experiences. These "cracker-style" cottages connect with Florida's architectural heritage while offering modern amenities.
Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ): 28 miles, approximately 42 minutes driving via State Road 64 and local roads. Major car rental facilities with direct access to Interstate 75.
Tampa International Airport (TPA): Approximately 1 hour 21 minutes driving for broader international connections and additional flight options.
Ground Transport: Primary access via Interstate 75 to State Road 64, then east to River Road. The club's location in rural Sarasota County requires private vehicle transport.
Private Aviation: Regional airfields accommodate private aircraft, with ground transportation arranged through the club.
Spring (March-May): Optimal playing conditions as the course matures, with moderate temperatures and lower humidity.
Summer (June-August): Year-round playability assured by drought-resistant grasses, though afternoon thunderstorms are typical.
Autumn (September-November): Exceptional conditions with reduced humidity and stable weather patterns.
Winter (December-February): Continued play is possible.
Miakka Golf Club represents the most ambitious private golf development in modern Florida history, introducing Australian Sandbelt architecture to America through meticulous environmental planning and innovative grass selection.
The collaboration between Fry/Straka and Paul Azinger has created a layout that prioritises strategic options over manufactured difficulty, encouraging ground-game golf rarely seen in Florida.
The project's 1,100-acre scale, Myakka River frontage, and comprehensive environmental systems establish new standards for sustainable golf development.
When complete, Miakka will offer a private club experience combining world-class golf with Florida's natural beauty, representing a significant addition to America's finest golf destinations.
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